For young boys and girls, success and overwhelming support is helpful, but it can also add pressure to what becomes a long, arduous season.
However, a loud and rowdy home gym and the pressures of homecoming week couldn’t rattle the No. 7 ranked Ignacio Bobcats (7-2, 4-0 San Juan Basin) on Thursday night. Ignacio dropped the first set to Telluride (2-3, 3-7 SJB) 25-17 but came back to win the next three, 25-13, 25-17, 25-12, to win the match 3-1.
Shoshone Thompson had 11 aces and 10 assists to lead the way for Ignacio. Miel Diaz led the team with five kills. Kelly Campbell and Sheigh Pollack each had six blocks, and Alex Forsythe had six digs for the Bobcats.
“It was a bit shaky at the start, and that’s the loudest I’ve heard our gym since I’ve been coaching here,” said fourth-year head coach Thaddeus Cano in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “It’s homecoming week, and it seemed like the entire school was here cheering us on. It takes time, but we’re learning how to deal with the success we’ve had and the pressure that comes with it.”
The Bobcats have certainly had their share of success this season. After losing its first two games, Ignacio has now rolled off seven wins in a row.
“I’m really happy to see how we’ve continued to stay humble during this streak,” Cano said. “We’ve got to be ready and keep working hard because it won’t get easier for us.”
Next up for the Bobcats is a tri-meet against Dolores and Nucla at 10 a.m. in Dolores.
jfries@durangoherald.com
